Specific Heat Capacity

Front

What is specific heat capacity?

Back

Specific heat capacity is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1ºC.

Front

What is the specific heat capacity of water?

Back

The specific heat capacity of water is 4.18 J/gºC.

Front

What is the specific heat capacity of wood?

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The specific heat capacity of wood is 1.760 J/gºC.

Front

Why does sand heat up faster than water at the beach?

Back

Sand has a lower specific heat than water, meaning it requires less energy to increase its temperature.

Front

If you heat 100 mL and 1000 mL of water, which will heat up faster?

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The 100 mL of water will heat up faster because it has less mass to heat.

Front

What is the formula to calculate heat energy (Q)?

Back

Q = m * c * ΔT, where m is mass, c is specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Front

What does ΔT represent in the heat energy formula?

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ΔT represents the change in temperature, calculated as final temperature minus initial temperature.

Front

What is thermal energy?

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Thermal energy is the total energy of all the particles in a substance, related to its temperature.

Front

How does specific heat capacity affect climate?

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Areas with large bodies of water have milder climates because water's high specific heat capacity allows it to absorb and store heat.

Front

What happens to the temperature of a substance when it absorbs heat?

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The temperature of the substance increases as it absorbs heat, provided it is not undergoing a phase change.